Automatic feeding mechanism for temper-screws.



No. 852,120. PATBNTED APR. 30, i901.

RI 0| AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TEMPER sormws.

' APPLICATION FILED DEG. 1,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNEEEEE: INVENI'OR fioberi'a Jan/e6 AT'I'OR NEIY THE NORRIS PETERS ca WASNINGTON. n. c

PATBNTED APR. 30, 1907.

R. G. JONES. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TEMPER SCREWS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1.19 06.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 9 J! 1 wwww 1 0 J 4 0 0 W .K .3 Q E 1 m l l IN v EN'T'OR Hoberiazfow WITNEEEEE.

ATTORNEY No. 852,120. PATENTED APR. 80, 1907.

R. G. JONES.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR I BIVIPER SCREWS.

APPLICATION FILED DBC.1, 1906.

3 SHBBTSSHBBT 3 WITNESSES: lNvlzN roFa I ATTORNEY n45 NORRIS PETERS c0., wAsnmwml n ROBERT C. JONES, OF NEW CUMBERLAND, W'EST; VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TElVlPiER-SCREWS- Specification of Letters Fluent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed December I. 1906. Serial No. 345,945.

To all Iv/10m, it rim y concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT 0. Jonas, a

citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New Cumberland, county of Hancock, and State of est Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding Mechanism for Tem per-Screws, of which the following is a specification. r

The invention relates to new and useful mecluinism for feeding, or paying out, the temper-screw of well-drilling apparatus, and more particularly to such wherein the temper-screw is automatically let out, or paid out, as the drilling tools sink in the well and wherein the action of the drilling tools accurately regulates the speed of said paying out.

An example of mechanism of the general character named is found in my Letters Patent No. 836,384, dated November 20, 1906; and the present invention is directed to the structural improvement of such mechanism, the purpose being to simplify and cheapen such mechanism and to render it compact and light in weight.

The novelty of the invention resides in certain in'iprovcmcnts the exact nature of which will hereinafter appear, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the lower end of the temper-screw and its correlated parts, illustrating a portion of my invention applied thereto; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the same; F 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4 4, Fig. 3; F 5 is a detail top plan view of the rack and pinion; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the same on the line 6 6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 IS a sectional view on the line 77, "Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a detail top plan view of the supporting bracket, showing the gate swung outward; and Fig. 9 is a similar view of the tool-supporting beam.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like parts of structure throughout the several views 1 indicates the ordinary walking-beam which has mounted upon its end a tool-supporting beam 2. Supported upon the front end of the beam is the cross-head 3 of the temperscrcw stem 4. Said beam 2 is inoflect a lever, havinj; integral lateral spindles 5 intermediate its ends, which spindles are iournaled in suitable bearings 6 mounted upon said walking-beam. Supported by the rear end of said beam 2 is the cross-head 7 of a stem 8 which is extended vertically through the walking-beam and supports on its lower end tension-adjusting moans. Said tension-adjusting means may be of any appropriate character, but preferably consists of a plate 9 slidably supported upon the lower threaded end 10 of said stem by a suitable manuallyoperated adjusting bracket 11 mounted upon said threaded end, and a yieldable butler or butters 12 mounted between the plate 9 and the walking beam, springs being shown in the present instance as the buflors employed.

The temper-screw 13 is supported between the reins 14: and 15 of the stem 4 in the usual manner, and has a longitudinal groove 16 therein. llo the roar end, or face, of the jacket 17 which incloscs the ordinary boxingsections 18 carried by said reins is bolted or otherwise secured the vertical member 19 of I a supporting-bracket through whose horizontal member 20 the temper-screw 13 is freely movable. Said horizontal member 20 is spaced from said jacket a suitable distance, and mounted thereon is a pinion 21 of novel construction through which said temper-screw is freely movable, a key 22 formed integral with said pinion standing in slidable engagement with said temper-screw in the groove 16. Said pinion 21 comprises a ratchet and a toothed wheel or gear 23, the

latter being rotatable about the former. The ratchet consists of a sleeve 24 loosely embracing the temper-screw and bearing the key 22, and has at its upper and lower ends, respectively, integral annular flanges 25 and 26, said flange 26 being relatively wider than the flange 25 and serving as a base for said sleeve Pins 27 projected vertically through oppositely-disposed holes or orifices in said flanges 25 and 26 stand in the annular channel 29 constituted about said sleeve by said flanges and serve in the capacity of ratchet teeth.

Mounted upon the flange 26 as a base and rotatable about the ratchet is the gear 23 which forms a component part of said pinion 21. Pivotally mounted in a recess 30 provided in said wheel or gear 23 is a dog or pawl 31 the point of which is normally held inwardly-pressed against the sleeve 24 by a suitable spring 32 for successively engaging the pins 27 and preventing the retraction of the ratchet.

l Pivotally mounted on and depending from a lug 33 carried by the supporting-rein 14 is a bell-crank 34 the horizontal member 35 of which is slotted, as shown at 36, and has adjustably attached thereto the lower end of a rod 37 which is suspended from the walking beam at a suitable point, said rod being rendered adjustable in length by the employment of a turnbuckle 38. The opposite member of said bell-crank normally stands substantially vertical and parallel to the temperscrew 13, as shown, and is composed of two hinged sections 39 and 40. Formed integral with the lower hinged section 40 at its lower end is a substantially horizontal rack 41 the teeth of which are held in operative engagement with the teeth of the gear 23. Aloop spring 42 carried by the sections 39 and 40 at their hinged connection or joint 43 tends to normally hold said lower section 40 and the rack 41 carried thereby thrust outward out of operative proximity to said gear, as

shown in Fig. 2. As a means of holding said rack in operative proximity to said gear, a gate 44 is mounted against the outer face of said rack, spindles or pintles 45 carried by the opposite ends thereof being journaled in extensions 46 and 47 carried by the horizontal member 20 of the supporting bracket. Mounted on the side of the extension 46 is a flat spring 48 having on its inner face a tooth or lug 49 which is adapted for normally lying in a groove 50 in the end of the adjacent pintle 45 for holding said gate 44 upright against the back of said rack and, against the tension of the spring 42, holding said rack in operative engagement with the pinion.

51 designates the ordinary screw by means of which the boxing-sections 18 are adjusted in relation to the temper-screw. As a means of preventing the retraction of said screw from the constant jarring or vibration to which it is subjected in drilling and the consequent outward springing of the rein 15 carrying one of said boxing-sections, a spring 52 is ivotally attached to the rein 15 at a suitab e point, and the point of said spring is placed in bearing engagement with the inner face of the acket 17 to exert a constant yieldable pressure whereby said jacket and rein are normally held separated under sufficient tension to prevent the accidental turning of said screw 51, a suitable cam 53 being mounted on said rein whereby the pressure exerted by said spring may be readily regulated.

Assuming all the parts to be adjusted in operative relation, my invention operates substantially as follows: The weight of'the temper-screw and the weight of the drilling tools, is borne by the beam 2, and so long as the tools are stationary the front end of said beam is not perceptibly lowered in relation to the walking-beam, the springs or buffers 12 being made of such strength or being placed under such tension as to bear the pressure to which they are subjected by said weight without being perceptibly compressed. But, when the tools are projected or thrust downward, as in rapid drilling, they reach out beyond the length of the beams movement or stroke to strike bottom, the natural elasticity of the ordinary manila cable employed admitting of such reaching out. The momentum of the tools or drill thus projected downward compresses said springs or buffers, allowing the front end of the beam 2 to drop or lower in relation to the walking-beam. The rod 37 suspended from the walking-beam and connected with the horizontal member 35 of the bell-crank 34 being stationary with respect to the walkingbeam, when the reins 14 and 15 are lowered through the lowering of the beam 2, the said bell-crank, turning on its pivot, is swung around, carrying the rack 41 rearwardly, or to the right of the position shown in Fig. 1. In moving rearwardly said rack rotates the gear 23 rearwardly, the pawl 31 carried by said gear sliding freely over the pins 27. Upon the relaxation of the cable carrying the drilling tools after the said tools have reached the end of their downward thrust, the beam 2 is actuated by said springsor buffers 12 to rebound. This action swings the rack 41 forward to its normal position, or past its normal position to a forward point, such as is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This action results in turning said gear slightly forward, and, through the spring-pressed pawl 31 which engages one of the pins 27 of the ratchet, the said ratchet is turned forward, carrying therewith the temper-screw, paying the latter out slightly.

It will be noted that the springs 12 are compressed by the reaching forward of the drill as the latter is projected. downward in the well, allowing the beam 2 to lower with respect to the walking-beam, and that the re laxation of the cable after a downward stroke relieves the tension on said springs, allowing the beam 2 and, consequently, the parts composing my invention to assume their normal positions, gradually paying out the temperscrew. It will further be noted that the speed at which the temper-screw is paid out is automatically regulated by the progress of the drilling tool. For instance, when the drilling is slow, the drill does not reach out to strike bottom-that is, it is not thrust forward using the elasticity of the cable to reach the bottom of the borebut keeps striking bottom at every stroke without such reaching. As a result, the springs or buffers 12 are compressed very slightly, if at all, with the successive thrusts of the drill; therefore, the temper-screw is paid out very slowly, if at all. On the other hand, when the drill. is making rapid progress, it obviously reaches forth with each stroke, using the elasticity of the cable, to strike the bottom of the bore,

IOC

and the springs or butters are thereby compressed, allowing the front end of the beam 2 to closely approach the top of the walkingbeam. The relaxation of the cable after a stroke in which the tools have thus reached 'lorth admits of the rebound of the beam 2, paying out the temper-screw, as hereinbetore described. As is obvious from the foregoing, the temper-screw is automatically paid out just so fast as is required by the progress ol the drill.

To throw the parts of the device out of gear, as when it is desired to manually operate the temper-screw, the point of the spring 48 is grasped and said spring is drawn outward, thus withdrawing the tooth or lug +19 from interlocking engagement with the groove in the pintle 15, allowing the gate 4 1 to fall back, releasing the rack 11, which rack then stands out of engagement with the pinion in substantially the position shown in Fig. 2, ieing held in said position by the loop spring 42.

The holes or ori [ices 28 in the ratchet tor the pins 27 are preferably located as shown in Fi 5 in order that said pins may be arranged For engagement with the pawl at either every onehaljt, one-third, or one-fourth revolution of the ratchet, as desired. In said Fig. 5, as will be noted, the holes 28 are also respectively designated by the characters A, B. C, l), E and F, the holes A, B, C and I) being spaced apart with reference to the axis ol said ratchet at an angle of and the holes A, E and F are similarly spaced apart at angles of 120. Consequently, for a rotation of 180 between successive engagements oi the pawl with the pins, pins are mounted only in directly opposite holes, as in holes A and C, or in holes B and D for a rotation of 90, pins are mounted in each of holes A, B, C and D; or for a rotation of 120, pins are located in each of holes A, E and F.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a walking-beam, of a yieldalile support mounted upon said walking-beam, tension-adjusting means for said support, a temper-s;rew for carrying a catle suspended from said support, and means controlled by the relaxation of the atles tension wherety said temper-screw is automatically paid out.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a walking-beam, of a yieldahle support carried by said walkingoeam, a temper-screw for carrying a raltle i suspended from said support, tension-adjusting means for said support, a pinion in operative slidat le engagement with said tempersfrew, a rod (arried by said walking-beam in fixed relation thereto, and means intermediate said rod and said pinion whereby the latter is rotated, paying out the temper-screw, upon the relaxation of the eatles tension.

3. In a device of the charater described, the combination with a walking-beam, oi a yieldalzle support carried by said walking beam, a temper-screw l'or tarrying a cable suspended from said support, a pinion in op erative SlitltlljlO engagement with said temper-screw, a rod iarried by said walkingbeam in -Iixed relation thereto, a rack in operative engagement with said pinion, and means intermediate said rod and said rack whereby the latter is swung forward, rotating the pinion and paying out the tempersi rew, upon the relaxation of the eables tension.

41. In a device of the character described, the COIIllliDittiOll with a walking-beam, of a yieldahle support carried by said wall ingbeam, a temper-screw for earrying a cable suspended from said support, a pinion in operative slidahle engagement with said temper-screw, a rack in operative engagemeiit with said pinion, a rod suspended from said walking-imam, and a member intermediate said rod and said rack whereiiy the latter is swung 'lorward, rotating the pinion. and paying out the temper-screw, upon the relaxation of the ealles tension.

5. In a devi e oi the character described, the eomlination with a walking-team, of a yieldalxle support carried by said walkingbeam, a temper-screw for rarrying a ratio suspended from said support, a pinion in operative slidalIle engagement with said temper-screw, a rod suspended from said walking-beam, a pivoted lever connected to said rod, a rack married lty said lever in operative proximity to said pinion, wherelzy when the eatles tension is relaxed. said pinion is retated forward, paying out the temper-s row.

6. In a device of the character destrilred,

the comlination with a walking-team, of a yieldahle support carried by said walkingl'ream, a temper-slew for carrying a ratio suspended from said support, a pinion in operative slidaile engagement with said temper-screw, a rod suspended from the walkinglieam, a hell-crank eon'nerted to said rod, a rack rarriei'l by said tell-crank in operative proximity to said pinion whereliy when the calzles tension is relaxed said pinion is retated forward paying out the ternper-screw. 7. In a deviae oi the eharaater desrihed, the eomhination with a walking-Loam, of a yieldal'le support (arried lay said walkingbeam, a temperscre\\' for rarrying a ralile suspended from said support, a rod suspended from the walking-team and carried in fixed relation thereto, a tell-r rank ronneated to said rod and pivoted in lixed relation to said support, a rack carried ly said (rank, and means in operative proximity to said rack whereby the action of the drilling tools automatically pays out the tempenscrew.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a walking-beam, of a temper-screw for carrying a cable, a flexible connection bet-ween said temper-screw and said walking-beam, means for adjusting the tension of said flexible connection, a rod suspended from said beam, said rod being carried in fixed relation to said beam, a pinion in operative relation to said temper-screw, means intermediate said rod and said pinion whereby the latter is actuated to turn said temper-screw forward, and means whereby said pinion is retracted without retracting said temper-screw.

9. In a device of the character described,

the combination will a walking-beam, of a temper-screw for carrying a cable, a flexible connection between said' temper-screw and said walking-beam, tension-adjusting means for said fiexw'ble connection a rod suspended from said beam, said rod being carried in fixed relation to said beam, apinion encircling said temper-screw, a key carried by said pinion in engagement with a groove provided in said temper-screw, means intermediate said rod and said pinion for rotating the latter forward upon the relaxation of the cables tension, paying out the temper-screw, and for retracting said pinion, and means for admitting of the retraction of said pinion without the retraction of the temper-screw.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a temper-screw for carrying a cable, said temper-screw having a longitudinal groove therein, of a pinion encircling said temper-screw, said pinion having a key in engagement with said groove, a stationary support for said pinion,

nd means in operative engagement with said pinion whereby the latter is actuatedto rotate forward. carrying therewith the temperscrew when the cable relaxes after a downward thrust of the drill, said pinion consisting of a ratchet and gear, the latter being ro tatable about the former.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination with a temper-screwfor carrying a cable, saiil temper-screw having a longitudinal groove therein, of a pinion encircling said temper-screw, interlocking means between said 1 inion and said temper screw, and means in operative engagement with said pinion whereby the latter is actuated by the relaxation of the cable after a downward thrust of the drill to rotate torward, carrying the temperscrew therewith, said pinion consisting of a ratchet and agear, the latter rotatable about the former, and a spring-pressed pawl carried by the gear for engagement wit-h the ratchet.

12. In automatic feeding mechanism for temper-screws, the combination with a walking-beam, of a yieldable support carried by said walking-beam, a temper-screw for carrying a cable suspended from said support, a

ratchet encircling said temper-screw and. keyed thereto in such manner as to admit only of longitudinal movement of the latter with respect to the former, a gear rotatable about said ratchet, a spring-pressed pawl carried by said gear in operative engagement with said ratchet, and means associated with said gear whereby the latter is actuated to rotate torward, automatically rotating the ratchet and temper-screw, upon the relaxation of the cables tension after a downward outreaching thrust of the drill.

13. In automatic feeding mechanism for temper-screws, the combination with a walking-beam, of a yieldable support carried by said walking-beam, a temper-screw for carrying a cable suspended from said support, a ratchet encircling said temper-screw and keyed thereto in such manner as to admit only of longitudinal movement of the latter with respect to the former, a gear rotatable about said ratchet, a spring-pressed pawl carried by said gear in operative engagement with said ratchet, a member carried by the walking-beam in fixed relation thereto, and a member in fixed relation to said support interposed between the firstmentioned member and said gear, whereby, when the relative positions of said support and said beam are changed, said gear is rotated.

14. In automatic feeding mechanism for I temper-screws, the combination with a walking-beam, of a yieldable support carried by said walking-beam, a temper-screw for carrying a cable suspended from said support, a ratchet encircling said temper-screw and in operative engagement therewith, a gear rotatable about said ratchet, a springpressed pawl carried by said gear in operative engagement with said ratchet, a movable rack meshing with said gear, a member mounted in fixed relation to said support, said member carrying said rack, and a member interposed between the first-mentioned member and the walking-beam whereby the changing of the relative positions of said beam and said support actuates said rack to move, rotating said gear.

15. In automatic feeding mechanism for temper-screws, the combination with a walking-beam, of a yieldable support carried by said walkingbeam, a temper-screw for carrying. a cable, said temper-screw having a longitudinal groove therein suspended from said support, a ratchet encircling said temperscrew, a key carried by said ratchet in engagement with said groove, a gear rotatable ab out said ratchet, a spring-pressed pawl carried by said gear in operative engagement with said ratchet, a member carried by the walking-beam in fixed relation thereto, a bellcrank mounted in fixed relation to said support, said member being ad justably connected to one arm of said crank, and a rack carried by the opposite arm of said crank in meshing engagement with said gear, whereby, when the relative positions of said support and said wakling-beam is changed, said gear is actuated to rotate.

16. In automatic feeding mechanism for temper-screws, the combination with a temper-screw for carrying a cable, said temperscrew having a longitudinal groove therein and a walking-beam; of a pinion comprising a sleeve encircling the temper-screw, a key carried by said sleeve in engagement with said groove in the temper-screw, annular flanges about the opposite ends of said sleeve, said flanges having a plurality of spaced registering pin-holes therein, pins mounted in said holes, said sleeve, said flanges and said pins constituting a ratchet, a gear rotatable about said ratchet, a pawl carried by said gear, a spring for holding said pawl inwardly pressed for successively engaging said pins; and means interposed between said walkingbeam and said gear for rotating the latter backward and forward respectively with the reaching forth of the drill and with the 1lLX ation of the cable carrying the drill.

17. In automatic feeding mechanism for temper-screws, the combination with a temper-screw for carrying a cable and having a longitudinal groove therein and a walkingbeam; of a pinion; a support for said pinion; said pinion comprising a sleeve encircling said temper-screw, a sleeve in engagement with said groove in the temper-screw, annular flanges about the opposite ends of said sleeve, said flanges having a plurality of spaced registering pin-holes therein, pins mounted in said holes, said sleeve, said flanges and said pins constitutkey carried by said ing a ratchet, a gear rotatable about said ratchet, a pawl carried by said gear, a spring I for holding said pawl inwardly pressed for l successively engaging said pins; and means i actuated by a downward outreaching thrust of the drill for rotating said gear rcarwardly l l l l l and actuated by the relaxation ol the cables tension alter such a thrust for rotating said gear forward, carrying therewith the ratchet and temper-screw.

1.8. in automatic feeding mechanism for temper-screws, the combination with a tem per-screw for carrying a cable and having a longitudinal groove therein and a walkingbeani; oli a pinion; a support for said pinion; said pinion comprising a sleeve encircling said temper-screw, a key carried by said sleeve in engagement with said groove in the tenmer-screw, annular flanges about the opposite ends of said sleeve, said flanges having a plurality of spaced registering pin-holes therein, pins mounted in said holes, said sleeve, said flanges and said pins constituting a ratchet, a gear rotatable about said ratchet, a pawl carried by said gear, a spring for holding said pawl inwardly pressed for successively engaging said pins j and means actuated by a downward outreaching thrust of the drill for rotating said gear reaiwardly and actuated by the relaxation of the cables tension after such a thrust for rotating said gear forward, carrying therewith the temperscrew.

In testi'intuiy whereof I allix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT C. JONES. \Vitnesses:

H. E. DUNLAP, EARLE A. LENKARD. 

